Fire and Ice
by RisuMusume
Summary: Set during the Marauders' sixth year at Hogwarts. WARNING! SLASH! This is a Lily EvansNarcissa Black story...just read it, or don't. Please don't judge.
1. Potions

Heyla lovelies! This story is an RP that I'm doing with my friend. She has graciously let me use her work as part of my own...but it's half mine as well. This story _will include **slash**_. It is a Narcissa Black/Lily Evans pairing without messing up the cannon too much (There is still Narcissa/Lucius and Lily/James). Anyhoo...this is a test run of the first chapter. Tell me what you think! But no flames, constructive criticism only!

I found this poem in English class one day, and I really like it. I'll put it in the Author's Notes every so often just to remind people about its existence...It fits the story.

**_Fire and Ice_**

**_Some say the world will end in fire,  
Some say in ice.  
From what I've tasted of desire  
I hold with those who favor fire.  
But if it had to perish twice,  
I think I know enough of hate,  
To say that for destruction ice  
Is also great  
And would suffice._**

Robert Frost

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Narcissa wasn't the kind of girl people called pretty. Because she wasn't pretty, she was gorgeous. Breathtakingly beautiful, was one thing people whispered about her in the halls. With the arrogance and wicked personality to match, or so the Gryffindors would eagerly inform you. She was Slytherin from head to toe, cruel, calculating, and absolutely manipulative. She got everything she wanted, whenever she wanted it, and immediately—because Narcissa was that kind of girl. Where Bellatrix was dark, every bit of Narcissa was fair. From her perfect pale complexion, to her flawless straight blonde hair, long enough to dust her hips and almost white in the sunlight. Her blue eyes were like ice and her voice was so utterly smooth that it seduced whomever she intended it to with just a whisper. Narcissa was, as she'd been commanded to be from birth, perfect. Elegant and graceful and perfect. A pureblood in every sense of the word, and she was rather smug about it. Snide, most would say, with a mean sort of humor and an endless aura of being aloof. She was also quite a clever little witch, as far as purebloods go. Perhaps she was not quite so naturally gifted as Lily Evans, but easily the second best in her class. Of course, good pureblood girls were not supposed to be smarter then their betrothed pureblood boys, so Narcissa's professors fumed as she performed perfectly and still tested firmly in the middle of the class. They saw her work out spells, produce translations on the spot, figure out the solutions to the more difficult problems, and then erase her answers, or twist her wand at the last moment, to avoid getting the score she deserved. Narcissa wasn't exactly a teacher's pet, but she didn't need to be.

She sat down, as graceful and elegant as ever, in her Potions class, sending a coy smile over at Malfoy before turning her icy gaze to the front of the room. Narcissa left an impression, whether she was at the top of the class or not, and that's exactly what she'd been instructed to do. Purebloods were perfect, and perfect she would be. She had to be. She remembered that, more than anything else. Her parents would never dream of scarring her perfect body, but there were other methods to make sure she got the message, and she did. It had taken a while, perhaps, but she did.

Lily Evans slipped into the potions class just before the Professor. She sat in the middle of a group of Gryffindors. Today it was Remus Lupin who was pushed from the quartet to be on his own, so Lily sat with him and her friend Sarah. The three Gryffindors simply smiled as the potions professor observed the class. "Today, class, you will be working on the potion that is on the board. If you need me to explain anything...feel free to ask...I just might answer...maybe even correctly..." He scoffed in their general direction with a sly smirk to Narcissa.

Lily shook her head and smiled at Lupin and Sarah. "Do you guys think this is tough? Or can we help each other through it?"

Lupin smiled at her and spoke quietly. "Oh, I think we'll muddle through it well enough..." The three set to work.

Narcissa smirked back at the professor, lowering her eyes and clasping her hands neatly on the table in front of her. Bellatrix, who was dark in every sense of every sense of the word—excluding her complexion, which was just a few shades less pale than Narcissa—sneered over at Lily, voice loud enough for the others to hear. "I just don't understand why the headmaster thinks it appropriate to mix classes as he does...honestly, one wouldn't train a dragon with a dog; and filthy little mudblood bitches have no place fouling up the educational environment. Don't you think, Cissa?" The Slytherins snickered.

Narcissa's accent was slightly more French than her sisters; she didn't follow Bellatrix's cruel gaze to Lily, but instead started sorting through the ingredients indicated in her book. "Of course, Bella. Get a small bottle, wont you?" Bellatrix scoffed and slid off her stool to do so

Lily clenched her fists and glared at the blonde at the front of the class. Lupin hissed in his breath as he glanced at James, begging Sirius to stop him from doing anything stupid. "Nobody's a mudblood but you, bitch! Only people with muddy blood would dream of insulting somebody who's done nothing wrong..."

Narcissa's cool gaze snapped to James before Bellatrix could respond, and it was Narcissa who provided a cold reply. "Perhaps you're the muddiest one among us, Potter; I think most the student body would agree that you tend to isolate and attack those not quite fit to defend themselves against your unattractively large bulk."

Sirius growled almost silently as his eyes moved over to Snivellus.

Bellatrix smirked and snatched Narcissa's request, hopping back to her stool, folding her arms and letting Narcissa start on their potion. "Wicked Cousin Sirius has the worst taste in boys."

Sirius snarled, muttering something under his breath about how he doesn't _have_ a taste in boys, but he held James back, he was used to their bantering at him. "James!" It was growled. "If you don't stop now we'll lose house..."

"Thirty points from Gryffindor, Mr. Potter... And thirty for you too, Mr. Black. If someone begins to get physical, another student should never interfere..." He glanced at Lupin, Lily, and Sarah. "Get to work you three before I take more points from your house..." Lily instantly snapped out of it and began on their potion, muttering obscenities too softly to be heard.

Narcissa glanced almost shyly up to smile at the professor, Bellatrix snickered turning to lean her elbows on the table and smirk at Potter. Narcissa, still smiling rather smugly, went back to their potion. She finished it in time enough, deciding that one well done potion wouldn't bring her scores up too much, and sliding gracefully off her stool to peer into Malfoys cauldron.

Lily, Lupin and Sarah managed to pull theirs together and were in the final stage, which Lily read aloud as Lupin kept time and Sarah stirred. "Stir clockwise for three minutes...counter-clockwise for two... and then clockwise again for one..." Lupin was keeping track. "Two more minutes clockwise, then..." Sarah nodded.

James, Peter and Sirius were in a seriously heated discussion and had completely abandoned their already ruined potion.

Malfoy smirked as Narcissa bent to add a pinch or two of some required substance to his potion, looking her over openly and bringing his eyes back to her face with a great deal of satisfaction. He didn't touch her, of course, as Narcissa Black was not to be touched until her wedding day; but he was patient enough just looking at her and waiting. She sent him that coy smile and pulled her hair over a shoulder so as the line of her back and sway of her hips were nicely exposed as she glided back to her seat.

The three smiled as their potion turned silver and gave off a faint purple smoke, just like the instructions said it should. Lily and Lupin were already laughing with Sarah.

James's voice rang out. "SHUT IT, SIRIUS!"

Sirius growled again and as Pettigrew dodged their now flying books, he knocked over Lily's cauldron.

"Woops...no points for you three today..." The professor hissed this as he banished the rest of their potion.

Narcissa arched an eyebrow at the outburst, sidestepping Lily's potion without a glance and slipping back up onto her stool. Narcissa laughed, rather loudly, at them all, grinning viciously. Narcissa tried to keep from smiling, but couldn't quite manage. "We're done, sir."

"Full points Miss Black and Miss Black..."

He looked disgustedly at Potter, the other Black—the disgraceful one—and Pettigrew. "No points for you boys either...you may leave the class if you like... I certainly don't want Potter, _Mr._ Black, Pettigrew, Lupin, Evans, or Delorian any longer than necessary..."

Narcissa glanced at Lily, then back to her potion. Narcissa was not supposed to be jealous of anyone, but she stared at her potion as she collected her things and wondered why it hadn't given off that intended scent the way Lily's potion had. Bellatrix was oblivious, smirking at the other Slytherins and making nasty remarks as to the level of intelligence present in the Gryffindor House.

Lily gathered her things and left the room without a backward glance. Sirius and James had already come to a silent agreement to forget their argument for the moment and were packed up, waiting for Moony and Wormtail.

Sarah gathered her things and rushed after Lily, knowing the other girl would need to talk.

Narcissa cast a nasty look at Sarah, beating her to the door and lingering in it just to spite the other girl. Malfoy brushed past the girl with a sneer, offering Narcissa his arm. She took it with a nod and tossed her hair back over her shoulder as they walked off.

Sarah shook her head and took off, slipping past them a little farther up the hallway and making a dash to the common room, it was time for lunch... but she knew that after a class like that... Lily wouldn't be in the Great Hall.

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Hah! The first chapter's done! Fwee! Tell me the truth! Was it alright! Love you all lots! Byez...

P.S. REVIEW! PLEASE!


	2. Close Encounters in the Restroom

Hey guys! Thanks to everyone who has given this story such glowing reviews! My co-author and I love you all! Here's the next chapter...please enjoy!

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Narcissa, being a prefect, indulged in her rights to the prefect bathroom to get a breath away from Malfoy. She hated him. Loathed him. His touch, his voice, his smile...she HATED him...and nobody could know. Her mother knew, of course, and had hit her as hard as she could without leaving a mark when her daughter had mentioned her distaste. Narcissa knew better, and she pretended to adore him. Oh but she hated him, and sweeping the bathroom quickly to see that it was empty, she slammed both fists against the wall and screamed as loud as she dared, pushing back the urge to vomit at the lingering touch of his arm around her waist, fingers rubbing against her hip, his eyes on her ass. Like he owned her. She grit her teeth and slammed her fists again against the wall.

"Miss Evans! I forgot the password!"

"How many times, Shawna, do I have to tell you to call me Lily?"

Shawna smiled. "At least once more, Miss Evans...but...um... the password?"

"'Lion over snake'..."

"Thank you!"

The first year girl scurried off and Lily slipped into the nearest restroom for some peace...then she saw the only other occupant. "Oh gods..."

When she heard the sound, Narcissa was instantly composed, whipping around and hiding her hands—now red and a little raw from her outburst—behind her back. Her chin was tilted, her features smoothed into the perfect look of contempt. Of course she couldn't erase that moment with her fists against the wall and her head down in defeat, but there was always the chance Lily hadn't seen it.

Luckily for her, Lily hadn't noticed it. "I'll just go find another restroom..." She glared at Narcissa and huffed. _Just as I was trying to escape..._

Narcissa steeled her voice to it's natural calm and smirked. "If you find yourself too flustered, be my guest, and all the better for us both."

"Who are you calling flustered? I'm just fine, thank you..." She crossed her arms and glared with all of her Gryffindor 'bravery'—more commonly known as stupid pride—she stayed right where she was.

Narcissa arched a slender eyebrow and continued to look gorgeously smug. "Well don't let me distract you, then; or did you just come to try and fix your hair in the mirror? I'll save you the time by telling you it's a hopeless cause."

Lily bit back her retort. Prefects were supposed to be above witless banter like this... She slipped into a stall and slammed the door, locking it tightly.

Narcissa turned her own attention to her reflection, studying herself with what appeared to be interest while her mind played at other things. Mostly about Malfoy and how she detested him. Her thoughts strayed; she glanced to Lily's slammed door and frowned a bit. "Pity Potter spoiled your potion..."

Lily muttered under her breath, eventually spitting out something that sounded like, "Yeah..."

Narcissa wondered what she was doing, but her temper flared beneath the calm exterior, and she desperately searched for a way, any way, to release some of the pent up passion. "It was good." Years of barriers built to keep emotions locked away were rather hard to break through, but she had at least made some slight progress by giving that tiny compliment.

Lily finished what she was doing and the toilet emptied itself and she slipped out of her stall with an eyebrow raised. "How it was ruined...or the potion itself...?" She asked almost skeptically.

"The potion." She leaned forward to tuck a stray strand of silky hair back into place. "You must have interpreted the 'six pinches' differently than I, that must have been the smell. Or maybe you have bigger hands." She arched an eyebrow and smirked a bit. "Most likely, as it would account for your rather clumsy nature."

Lily grimaced, and shook her head. "I don't know what I did differently...just that mine came out the way it did..."

"I told you what you did differently." She turned around, arms folded a bit haughtily, still full of passion and spitfire and loathing for her fiancé.

"I meant with the measurements, Narcissa..."

Her tone grew slightly irritated, "Yes. The pinches."

Lily sighed and clenched her fists. "It's not my fault they don't say three tablespoons..."

Narcissa blinked, frowning a bit. "What's a table spoon...?"

Lily shook her head. "A..." She didn't want to admit it to someone who had fun calling her a "mudblood." "Nothing..."

Narcissa studied Lily a moment, taking her in, sizing her up. The hair would be dreadful, the horrid color of red it was, but her eyes saved it. They matched. Green... Narcissa supposed her eyes weren't too bad. Her figure could be better. Or maybe it was the loose robes. Her bone structure was pleasant enough, in a non-pureblood way... she should have found the freckles to be utterly disgusting, but in current light of her utter loathing for her pureblood fiancé, she rather liked them. In fact, Evans was perhaps an exact opposite to Malfoy...and if nothing else, that softened Narcissa to her. Her heart rose in harmony with her mind, screaming at her to do something, anything, reckless and careless and not...perfect. She remained, however, aloof and snide.

Lily blushed gently and washed her hands before brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

Narcissa glanced at the water, sneering inwardly at her own purity. Sometimes she compared herself to water. Frozen water, perhaps. Clear and cold and perfect. Sometimes she wished she could melt and slip through someone's fingers...or even get so heated that she'd disappear. Passion was heat, and she wanted it. She turned away from Lily to stare again into the mirror.

Lily smiled softly. "Just so you know...a tablespoon is a form of an exact measurement... No guess work..." She dried her hands carefully and looked at the mirror as well. Her green eyes flashed gorgeously, but her hair...it shined like silk...and looked otherwise like tumbleweed.

"Oh..." She turned her attention back. "A mudblood thing." The words were out before she corrected them, and she frowned a bit. "Or, muggle...sorry." _Sorry! Ha!_ She almost grinned, which would have been very unlady-like, but it was something. Narcissa Black did NOT apologize to anyone for anything, especially not a mudblood. Er, muggle.

Lily's jaw dropped in anger and then she smiled softly as realization hit her. "Thank you...I accept your apology..."

If she didn't grin, she at least smiled, and it was neither coy nor smug as her smiles almost always were. She ignored the insistent urge to fix Lily's hair herself, and simply shrugged a shoulder.

Lily glanced at herself in the mirror, tried to fix it with her hands and then shook her head as she pulled out her wand, muttering something under her breath, her hair became half-way decent—a far shot from Narcissa's, but mostly acceptable.

Narcissa wasn't too impressed, and clasped her hands behind her back to keep from reaching out to tame the red waves. "How do you condition it?"

Lily shrugs. "With whatever I end up using...never really paid much attention...why? Should I?" She glanced at the blonde like this was the most shocking revelation of them all.

A look of horror momentarily disrupted Narcissa's calm expression. "You don't-...You-...oh. Well. I suppose that explains it..." Through an act of amazing will power, she managed not to laugh. "Perhaps you should try some..."

"Perhaps I should try some what?" Lily seriously wanted to make herself look as good as Narcissa. She did _not_ just admit to herself that Narcissa looked good! Even as she denied the thought, she caught herself examining the other without moving green eyes from the icy ones of the blonde.

"Conditioner. I make my own, actually." She lifted a hand to touch her silky hair. It slipped over her fingers delicately, smoothly, neatly falling back into place. It was perfect. She almost sneered.

Lily watched the perfect motion of Narcissa's hair and bit her lip. "I use it...but nothing seems to work quite right...my hair is just... Feh...I've given up!" She shook her head. "Nothing will fix it."

Narcissa considered her own hair and decided maybe she didn't mind Lily's so much after all. Well...it could be a little better... "You should try finding a mix that suits you. It's just like potions, so you'll do it easy once you know what to look for."

Lily nodded. "Makes sense I suppose..." She turned to glance back at the mirror. But what was it she needed to do to make her hair better?

"And you might try pulling it back. It would suit the shape of your face to do so." Narcissa almost lifted a hand to do so, but paused midway and let it drop idly to her side.

Lily half-noticed the hand, but already had her own hands pulling her hair back. "Huh...you're right...it does look better..." She paused, dropped her hair and turned to Narcissa. "Why are you helping me?"

"Yes I know." She commented lightly to the first, and paused a bit at the second, turning sharply back to the mirror. She checked to see that her every feature was in order, and was relieved that her face betrayed no emotion. "I'm not. I just couldn't stand to look at that dreadful hair another instant."

Lily shook her head. "Then who was it that asked you to look?" Lily raised an eyebrow as she looked at Narcissa's reflection.

"It's rather hard to miss, being the horrid color that it is." She lifted a hand to touch her cheek and her lips curved up a bit at the corners. She pushed her head to one side with a finger and glanced sideways at her profile, tracing the finger down her cheek and letting her hand fall idle again.

Lily shuddered in anger. "Then ignore it...it's better manners, Miss _Perfect _Pureblood, than being rude." She slipped from the room without another word or a backward glance.

Narcissa stared at herself for quite some while, turning this way and that in her inspection. She finally decided she couldn't very well hide forever, and stepped out of the bathroom with a forced smile, smug and aloof as ever. Malfoy was almost instantly by her side, even smugger, his hand on her lower back as if to guide her. She smiled coyly over at him, and walked as she had been trained to do. Gracefully.

It was now dinnertime and Lily had slipped in next to James and Lupin with a glare to the first and a half-hearted smile to the other as Sarah sat down across from her. Soon, she was dragged into a conversation she had no interest in.

Narcissa allowed herself to be led to the Great Hall, and sat regally at her table with Malfoy on her right and Bellatrix at her left, both questioning her as to where she'd spent the day. She lied. And she didn't look at Lily even once.

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Again, please review!


	3. Breeding Horse

Hey guys! I'm back! Yes, I know that it has taken quite a long time to update. Please forgive me! I'm always so busy! Here's the next chapter and I do hope you all enjoy it! To those who have reviewed, you get hot chocolate...and cookies...or cake...you choose! And I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations!

_Lesbian Lover_: I hope you're still reading! I take forever with updates, but they come, I promise! Thank you for the compliment. Feeling is one of the most important parts of character portrayal.

_rox4787_: Thank you. I'm updating... took me quite a long time, but here you are!

_Slythernluvr1516_: No, that was probably a different Lily/Narcissa story. I have more written, but I have to edit it before you guys get to see it. But thank you.

_Alphawolf69_: You're actually the one who pushed me to finally updating this thing...so here! I hope you enjoy...and no... we don't have a ball planned. So, no. But yes with the title. When we first started this story I thought about how fiery Lily's hair looked and how icy all of the Malfoy's act...and then I found that poem...and this is what we came up with!

Here you all go! The chapter!

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Narcissa was most certainly not thinking about Lily when she tossed a coy smile over her shoulder at a smirking Malfoy and slipped into the prefect's bathroom. She glanced around to see if Lily was there, but she certainly wasn't hopeful or anything of the sort. Narcissa Black hoped for no one. Still. No harm in glancing.

Lily was in the bathroom. She had run away from her 'friends' and buried herself in a corner of the bathroom where there was a comfortable bench against a wall, right by a painting of the moon rising over a wintry mountain scene.

Narcissa made a point not to smile as she caught sight of Lily, but walked smoothly over and dropped a bottle full of semi-clear blue liquid in her lap. She tilted her chin a bit, proud and arrogant. "If you're brave enough to trust me."

Lily glanced at the bottle and smirked up at her. "You're challenging a Gryffindor's bravery?"

"Well I personally think you'd have been better suited in Ravenclaw, bookish as you are."

Lily smiles. "Ah...but I'm not in Ravenclaw, now am I?"

"And I'm sure it was your inner stupidity and lack of personality that landed you in the House you're currently in." Her insults were beautifully executed, not as crude as her sisters.

Lily jumped to standing, barely keeping from dropping the bottle. "Meaning what, Black?"

She didn't flinch a bit, her posture and her expression didn't move, she masked her surprise quite well. Her tone was a cool and collected as ever. "Meaning you're a Gryffindor, Evans, what else is there to say of that?"

Lily ground her teeth together before she sat back on the bench and glared at the painting with her arms crossed.

Narcissa's smirk was triumphant, and she turned on toe to step to a sink and glance in the mirror. "It's to be expected."

"What's to be expected?" The words were ground out, very much forced between her clenched teeth.

"Your word and action, being a Gryffindor." She replied smoothly, "And probably the state of your hair, at that."

Lily bit her tongue to keep her inner lion at bay. "I don't quite understand what you mean, Narcissa...but I don't like how it sounds..."

She chuckled, twining a finger around a strand of her hair. "Of course you don't. Also attributed to your House, I've no doubt."

Lily stood up. "At least we just say what we mean and don't play around being manipulative. I'd much rather be lionhearted than a slippery, slithering snake!" She accented each of the last three words with a step and shook her head furiously. "We're definitely cleaner..." She walked toward the door, pausing before she stormed out of the room.

Narcissa gasped and spun around, outraged. A rare display of emotion, "I am most certainly cleaner!"

"Oh, and how would you prove that?"

She scoffed, spreading her arms and glancing down at herself. "I should think it rather apparent."

"Well...looks can be deceiving...and if Slytherins think they can judge books by their covers, they're even more mislead than I originally thought!"

Narcissa continued to stare down at herself, considering the word clean. Rather a bit like pure. She sneered, tone a few notches lower than usual. "I assure you, Evans, I'm quite clean."

"Maybe you look it...maybe your blood is... but your heart is as dirty as they come..." It was nearly silent, but as she opened the door she whispered. "Bought and sold just like a horse...meant only for breeding..."

Narcissa froze at the comment, dropping to the floor. Her eyebrows knitted for a moment, then smoothed, her face a mask of cold calm, back straight, hands in her lap, and she fought to keep up the façade.

Lily clenched her fists tightly and glared at the floor as she moved toward the Gryffindor common room. She didn't know what upset her more...the fact that she'd said it...or the fact that it was true.

Bellatrix stormed through Hogwarts looking for her sister, making up some idle excuse to Malfoy as to Narcissa's absence, wand clenched in her fist so tight her knuckles were white against the wood. "I'm going to kill her."

Bellatrix was fuming and Narcissa knew it the second she stepped into her line of sight. Her hand went for her wand, but not fast enough. Bellatrix slammed her sister against the wall, wand pressed in against her throat, voice much akin to the warning hiss of a snake about to strike. "Where were you." It wasn't a question, and Narcissa arched an eyebrow. "Primping. My hair was getting a little frayed at the edges." Narcissa was an excellent liar, and Bellatrix knew it. She did not, however, know how to tell the difference between Narcissa's truths and lies. "Were you...?"

James spotted Lily as soon as he left the common room, but didn't say a word as there was soon a loud noise that attracted both of their attention, and they rushed to investigate it.

James came to an abrupt halt when they reached where the noise came from. Lily, however, slipped in silently and took in the scene before her.

Narcissa arched a slender eyebrow and tilted her head to one side, in mock innocence. "Yes." Bellatrix sneered, tracing the tip of her wand sharply up the curve of Narcissa's neck. "Must keep up our appearances then mustn't we." Narcissa smiled, more of a challenge than anything else. "No one is concerned with your appearance, Bellatrix, but I certainly must."

Lily nearly choked on her laughter before she realized the predicament. "Expelliarmus..." It was whispered, but effective, Bellatrix wasn't expecting it and her wand soared effortlessly into Lily's hand.

Bellatrix whipped around with a look of surprise, one that quickly faded to outrage. Narcissa held her wand as gracefully as she did everything else: arm straight, wrist bent down, her pointer finger flexed along the wood. She spoke in a clear, calm voice, "Petrificus Totalus," and her magic flared in her cold gray eyes, rendering Lily immobile.

Bellatrix stormed up and snatched her wand, a far less graceful hold, but deadly nonetheless. She lifted it to Lily's heart, eyes blazing. Narcissa laughed. "Bella, really." Bella wasn't paying attention, she sneered, "Filthy little mudblood...mind your own bloody business" She opened her mouth to murmur a curse, Narcissa cut her off, tugging at the end of her robes and smiling against her cheek from behind. "Let's go back to the commons, Bella, you can kick her around later."

Lily was glaring at them...well, as well as she could.  
James just stood outside, listening in on whatever he could catch. He figured out that it was Lily who was petrified; he stole to the shadows, waiting for the other two to leave.

Narcissa slipped her hand in her sisters, nudging her cheek a bit. Bellatrix sneered at Lily, but turned and stormed off, Narcissa in tow. Narcissa made it a point not to look back, thoughts already straying uneasily to what she was sure Bellatrix had in mind. Almost as bad as Malfoy...but she smiled encouragingly when Bellatrix looked back at her.

James watched as Bellatrix left with Narcissa, checked quickly left and right, and then pulled his blank paper out of his pocket. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good..." He checks the Marauders map and finds that Lily's alone in the bathroom. He slips inside and points his wand at her. "Finite Incantatem... Lily, are you ok?"

Lily just shakes her head and dashes back to her dorm room...completely ignoring James.

"Yeah… you're welcome..."

time skip

Narcissa managed to slip away again later that evening, with no intention of going back to her commons any time soon. No one would think to look for her in the library. In fact she doubted Bellatrix even knew how to get to the library...so she deemed it safe enough, and slipped inside with the grace she performed every action with, and trailed through the lines of books to the deepest, darkest corner of the library. She ran her finger tips across the row of books on the shelf level with her waist, collecting a fine layer of dust and silently marveling in such a simple concept as to not keeping her hands clean.

Narcissa, satisfied with the silence, sat gently down in a narrow space between two towering shelves, selecting a book on black magic that would have screamed at anyone but a Slytherin. She then proceeded to do something she'd not truly done in quite some time, as it was frowned upon by her mother and very much not something to be done by a proper pureblood girl, she read.

Narcissa lost herself in words, uncharacteristically oblivious to her surroundings as she flipped through the pages and absorbed spells, potions, descriptions. Her eyes were oddly uncalmed in her current state, flashing with passion and opinion and simple curiosity. And worse, in a most unladylike display, she caught her lower lip between her teeth and nibbled on it gently.

Lily's dorm mates had tried to pry from her what was wrong and she just kept refusing to speak. Finally she just had to disappear. She simply planned on walking through the castle...but a first year had gotten lost and needed help finding the library so she could find her common room, it was a Ravenclaw and Lily would have smiled at this, were it not for Narcissa's comment about her being bookish.

"Here you go, Isabelle..."

"Thanks, Lily!" The girl darted off and Lily sighed. "The library's as good a place as any to avoid my friends...they hate this place..." She smiled and slipped inside, glancing at books here and there, finally slipping into an aisle that turned at the corner.

Lily reached the end of the aisle and turned, not catching the attention of the aisle's only other occupant, quite possibly the library's only other occupant, aside from the librarian. Her eyes widened at the sight of Narcissa Black, but she said nothing.

Narcissa flipped another page, her white blonde hair pooling around her and falling in silvery strands across her face, like spider webs. The corners of her lips tugged to a slight smile as she read something that amused or pleased her, it was hard to tell which. Her back remained arched and straight, but she bent her head a bit to gaze at the book.

Lily took a step closer, wondering what book she was reading. Soon, she was close enough to read right over Narcissa's shoulder.

Narcissa lifted her gaze to stare straight ahead as something whispered words of warning in the back of her thoughts; she leaned back a bit and brushed against Lily. Instinct kicked in and she was on her feet in seconds, poised to fight, wand out, a spell already on the tip of her tongue.

Lily took a step back. "Sorry, I was just curious what you were reading..." She whispered it softly, it was a library after all...

Narcissa let her wand drop and swallowed her spell, bending to pick her book back up and showing the cover to Lily, eyes flashing their irritation.

Lily read the cover. "I don't think I've ever even seen that book..." She smiles. "I'm sorry for intruding..." She turns around.

Narcissa glanced at the book and arched an eyebrow, black magic...she refrained from laughing and cleared her throat instead. "Lily." She said the name quite simply, slight French accent, a distinct command to stop where she was and turn around.

Lily stops and glances over her shoulder, half-turned to face her. "Yes?"

Narcissa brushed back her hair, book tucked neatly in the hook of her arm. "I would highly suggest that you mind your manner with my sister."

Lily nearly laughs. "Like I really try to upset Bellatrix..." She shakes her head. "I stand up for people...and that's all... Stupid Gryffindor bravery, I guess..."

"Stupidity, I'd call it. Bellatrix might not know as many spells as you, and she might not flick her wrist so precisely, but she wont play fair. And I do not need standing up for, thank you. Whatever led you to believe that I needed your assistance, then or ever, is obviously attributed to the same 'bravery' you speak of." She arched a single slender eyebrow, highly annoyed and just a little insulted—if not disappointed—that Lily hadn't turned full face.

Lily shrugged. "I can't help what comes as instinct..." She turned fully facing Narcissa. "If I could I would avoid danger at all costs..."

Narcissa scoffed, sneering a bit. "Danger is more than necessary; it's delightful. And besides, what would you know."

Lily shrugs. "That I can't seem to stop myself...even if they 'don't need the help'...It's who I am..." She shrugs again. "I'll talk to you later, Narcissa..."

"You'll talk to me now, if I want you to, Evans." She snapped, haughty and snide.

Lily raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And you want to talk?"

"Of course not. Not with you, especially." She turned and slid the book back to its former place.

Lily shook her head. "Then who cares if I said I'd talk to you later..." She bit her lip before turning and walking around the corner to find a book.

Narcissa scanned the shelf and continued to sneer. "Obviously, you don't grasp the underlying concept of this conversation, mainly my superiority. You wont talk to me unless I tell you to. You've already caused enough trouble with your mindless blundering."

Lily's hands formed fists. She shouldn't let Narcissa get to her...there was no reason this attitude of hers should have upset Lily so much; Lily was normally very levelheaded. "Fine. Whatever..." She was scanning the book titles and deliberately not looking at Narcissa.

Narcissa fell silent for a moment or two, expression completely unreadable, poised and calm as ever. She selected another book, Hexes and Curses: A Dictionary, and said quite softly, "I'm not a horse."

Lily bit her lip, momentarily confused. "Huh...?"

Narcissa put the book back, uninterested, and turned to Lily. "I'm not a horse."

Lily looks up at her, suddenly remembering her previous comment. "Oh...?" She was still annoyed at Narcissa's better-than-thou attitude and raised an eyebrow. "And how do you propose to prove that?"

Narcissa folded her arms, striking quite the pose, and tilted her chin in pride. "I don't have to prove anything to you, mudblood."

Lily laughs mirthlessly. "Then I guess you stay a horse..." She opens the book on charms and begins flipping through it.

Narcissa had had enough; in a flash of white blonde fury she held Lily against the bookshelf with one hand and pressed the tip of her wand against the curve of Lily's throat with the other. Narcissa, of course, hadn't pushed or shoved Lily back, but had rather swept her there, and pinned her there now, voice dangerously low. "I am not a horse."

Lily smirked darkly. "Until you actually prove it...you are...maybe a magical horse who can curse me...but a horse... something created purely for breeding... "

Narcissa again caught her lower lip between her teeth, but this time she bit, and hard, to keep from using a curse that would get her in a great deal of trouble. She waited a moment, and then released her lip with a warm intoxicating breath, the scent of spring rain and wild flowers. "It doesn't matter. Whatever I am, I'm ten times better than you, and so your opinions mean about as much as, if you'll excuse the pun, horse shit." Narcissa never cursed, at least not that sort, and she smiled to think she'd done so.

Lily rolled her eyes. "Ooh... I'm so sorry, how could I ever have said something so offensive... You've shown me the error of my ways..." She spoke with heavy sarcasm, but her eyes were wide and her heart raced gently.

Narcissa, smug and confident, caught Lily's gaze and held it, gray blue eyes icy in their resolve. Her wand whipped up the side of Lily's neck, under her chin, tilting her head up so Narcissa could better keep her gaze. Narcissa's free hand brushed down Lily's side, finding her pocket without having to look down, and pulling out her wand. She held it coyly behind her back, her own wand still pressed under Lily's chin, that and her gaze continuing to keep Lily pinned. "Watch your tongue, Evans."

Lily swallowed and spoke softly. "Why should I? It's the only thing I have left as a weapon..."

Narcissa laughed, pressing her wand harder, delighted and thrilled at the role reversal, so entirely used to being up against a wall. "Your tongue doesn't concern me in the slightest, you've no weapons left."

Lily smiled softly. "Are you so sure about that?"

Narcissa traced back her memories pinned against a wall, Bellatrix holding back her wand, laughing and taunting and demanding she just stand there like a good girl and look as pretty as she was supposed to. Narcissa's voice steeled, and she was colder still. "Quite sure."

Lily shrugs as fire seemed to leap from her. "Then I'll just have to prove you wrong..." She knocked Narcissa's hand aside, and before Narcissa could utter a curse, Lily had her lips on top of Narcissa's as she grabbed her wand

Narcissa knew this part, too. Though she'd only grabbed for her wand once. Bellatrix taught her not to do that again...she learned quickly to stand quietly and look as pretty as she was supposed to. She'd learned a few other things, too. She slammed Lily back against the books, every inch of her employed to press and pin. She grabbed the wrist of the hand in which Lily clutched the wand, grip iron tight, and held it high over Lily's head, also pressed against the books. Narcissa's wand came quickly back up to slam under Lily's chin, forcing her head to stay up. Narcissa the advantage of height, and used it to her every ability. Her kiss was furious and haughty and demanding all at once. She was quite lost in the rush, years of restraint and compliance coming to a boil and spilling over with a few clever twists of her tongue. She pressed harder, pushing down on Lily with her lips and up with her wand.

Lily whimpered softly and shivered, her lips and body melting against Narcissa's forceful claiming.

Narcissa nearly purred at the submission, only pushing harder, determined to hurt Lily as much as Bellatrix would. She couldn't quite reach that point, though...she didn't have that instinct for pain. But she tried, and she purred all the while, happy enough just that she was trying.

Lily whimpered once or twice more, shivering fervently as she completely became submissive to the taller young woman.

Narcissa was overwhelmed with the dominance, suddenly obsessed with it, in love with it, fascinated and entranced by it. She raked her teeth down Lily's lower lip and slammed a knee between her legs, nails digging into Lily's wrist.

Lily gasped and groaned softly, shivering at the leg between her own.

Narcissa's thoughts finally caught up with her emotions; her eyes, previously slanted and cold, snapped open wide and filled with a silent horror. She leapt away from Lily as if she were the one holding a wand to her throat. Her body went rigid, wand still pointed, still graceful—it was natural to be so, by now—and her expression was still calm except for the look of horror in her eyes. This was not particularly good, Narcissa slowly decided, stone still.

Lily whimpered at the loss of contact and slowly lowered her wand to where she could use it if necessary as her mind caught up with her as well. _Oh crap, oh crap, oh crap..._ Lily wouldn't back down, though...

Narcissa didn't move, her thoughts continued to swirl. This was not particularly good at all, she decided, instinctively tilting her chin up. Narcissa Black, Malfoy's prized fiancé, she was liquid grace, she was perfect. Right. She sneered, arching an eyebrow, though the horror in her eyes still left a few streaks. Her voice was as cold and proud as ever. "If you'll excuse me, I've better things to which I might lend my time."

Lily shrugged and licked her lips. "Sure...I'm almost certain that you must go find your stallion..." She put a guard spell around herself wordlessly and slipped away, back around the corner of the aisle.

Narcissa let her wand drop as Lily turned the corner, too troubled to be bothered with insults. She ran her fingers through her hair and frowned, leaning back against the bookshelf with a sigh. "Bellatrix is going to kill me for being out this late." She said it quietly, to no one but herself, and wondered if she'd ever be able to just stand there and look as pretty as she was supposed to again.

Lily went around the corner, running to the other end of the aisle and straight back to her dorm. She made it into her room before she was bombarded with questions. She replied mutely and buried herself in her blankets, prepared for a fitful night.

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Hope you all enjoyed it! Please Review! Thanks to you all!


	4. Class

Hey everyone. I'm actually updating again...it's shocking. I have set a goal for myself to finish this one by the end of the school year! Cross your fingers...review...and maybe I'll actually be able to get myself to do this. Please enjoy! Oh...more Lily/Narcissa fun in this chapter...so be warned.

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Narcissa slipped up on her stool in potions class, as elegant and composed as ever, opening her book to the appropriate page and scanning the list of ingredients. Bellatrix, looking particularly smug, sat down less regally beside her.

Lily slipped onto a stool at her usual table. She was so out of it she didn't even realize that James and Sirius had shoved Sarah over to the table with Lupin and Pettigrew. She had her book on her desk, but was numbly staring at it as she simply sat there, refusing to look at any of the Slytherins...well, really, it was just one or two in particular. Make that three...the Black sisters and the Malfoy.

Narcissa had her hair pulled back to day, her neck long and elegant and pale. Her hair was piled back in a dainty sort of bun, the ends spilling out to splay across her the back of her neck. A neck that was arched and regal as always. Bellatrix spent most of her time smirking at the curve of Narcissa's throat and grinning at Malfoy. Narcissa spent most of her time working, occasionally providing the coy necessary smile for Malfoy.

Lily stared at her book as James and Sirius bumbled through the potion and kept trying to get her to spill on what was going on, but as long as Narcissa Black was sitting in front of her, Lily's mind would not function properly.

Narcissa finished her potion in the allotted time and stood with a smirk over her shoulder at Bellatrix, walking as she did every potion's class to set a slender pale hand on Malfoy's shoulder and glance into his cauldron.

Lily finally snapped to when their potion, which was supposed to be a pale green and bubbling, gently started sending off sparks and glowing purple. "What have you two idiots done!" She hissed it and quickly went about throwing a pinch of this and a handful of that in while she had James grind something to powder and Sirius stirring it. After about five minutes, she'd gotten it back under control. It was now a medium green, but it wasn't glowing, purple or sparking as it bubbled.

Narcissa stirred Malfoy's potion once or twice, adding a bit more of this to balance out a mistake, and soon it mellowed to a lovely shade of pale green, it was bubbling just as the notes on the board said it should be. Malfoy laughed, sliding an arm around Narcissa's waist and tilting his head over to Lily's cauldron. She glanced up and smirked, trying not to think about his hand on her hip.

Lily's eyes froze as they slipped from Malfoy's to Narcissa's. Sirius smiled up at Lily. "Thanks..." James noticed where her eyes were and stood behind her, resting a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it lightly, comfortingly, and possessively.

Narcissa arched a single slender eyebrow and placed her hand over Malfoy's, still smirking. Her tone was as cool and coy as ever, marked with a perfect French accent. "Quel suprise, non...il doit être prévu de leur sorte." Malfoy chuckled. "Oui, petite, c'est vrai." (AN: 1)

Lily forced herself to look away. "I think we've almost got it completely back to being right..." She bit her lip as she shrugged off Potter's hand. "How can you two seriously still be in this class?"

James looked a little offended, but just brushed it off as PMS-an inaccurate assumption, but it made him feel better-and moved on, doing what Lily told him to do until the professor called time and their potion was just a few shades too dark.

Narcissa awarded Malfoy another smile and stepped out of his grasp to return to her seat, staring at her desk. Bellatrix arched an eyebrow, lifting a hand to slip beneath Narcissa's hair and curl around the back of her neck. "Tired, belle?"

Narcissa instinctively bent her head to submit to Bella's touch, immediately furious that she'd done so. She didn't show her fury in either action or expression, however, and breathed her quiet reply. "Un peu." (AN: 2) The professor deemed her potion perfect, giving the same praise to Malfoy, and dismissed them. Narcissa waited silently for Bella to finish looking her over, standing only after she stood. Malfoy sauntered up between them, taking each by an arm. Narcissa, checking to see that Malfoy and Bella were distracted in conversation, glanced quickly over her shoulder to Lily.

Lily was looking at the blonde and looked away as soon as she caught Narcissa's eyes, blushing softly and lowering her head in another act of submission. She immediately despised herself for doing so...but she had done it anyway and she knew she couldn't change it.

James took Lily's submissive act as acceptance and slipped his arm around her shoulder. She was too stunned by her action and too far in denial about that action to even realize what was going on.

Bella's gaze shot to her sister, immediately following its line of path. A quiet rage erupted in her stomach and rose to her lips in a sweet hiss. "Cissa." Narcissa whipped her head back around to smile casually at Bellatrix. "Hm?" Bellatrix arched an eyebrow in warning. "There are better things to look at. Do you need a mirror?" Narcissa only laughed, smirking up at Malfoy. "I'm quite content, thank you."

When they were at the Great Hall, Narcissa made use of the smart excuse of needing a mirror, glad Bellatrix had thought of it, and thus took leave of Malfoy's company. Bellatrix silently fumed, having been cleverly caught in her sister's unexpected trap of words and knowing that her own comment earlier had started Narcissa's thought process, as she was bound to sit with Malfoy and unable to follow Narcissa. Narcissa was particularly smug about all of this, and it showed in her step. Confidence had always been something Narcissa had been trained to show, but she practically glowed with the sensation, rarely ever feeling it on anything more than an outward level. Her heels clicked a pleasant rhythm on the floors of the halls as she made her way to the prefect's bathroom.

Lily and the Marauders were entering the Great Hall as Narcissa was leaving it. James tightened his hold on Lily's shoulders and Lily's eyes met Narcissa's before she bit her lip and glanced back at the floor.

Narcissa arched an eyebrow and smirked, she absently checked James with a scoff, proceeding as if neither of them existed.

Sirius watched the whole interaction and shook his head. It was beyond his understanding and he didn't even want to try to get it. Instead he started telling a joke to Lupin, Pettigrew and Sarah as James tried to whisper into Lily's ear.

Lily shuddered and pulled away as she snapped out of it. "Leave me be, James..."

James froze and the entire group stopped. "I'm sorry to have bothered you, Lily..."

Lily stiffens and walks off, not even realizing where she is going, just so long as it takes her away.

Narcissa shut the door to the prefect's bathroom behind her, leaning against it. She waited a moment to be sure it was empty before allowing a slow grin to spread across her features, incredibly pleased with herself. Granted, it was passive aggressive more than anything else, but for the first time that she could remember she'd managed to vex her sister and escape her punishment. For the time being, anyway. It was enough, and she stepped to the mirror to marvel at her expression.

She continued to grin, laughing a little to herself and lifting a hand to check that she was real. She immediately concluded that she most certainly was, and leaned back as smug as ever and fold her arms, tilt her chin and strike a pose.

Lily walked into the room and froze. "Nice look, Narcissa..." She muttered it as she hurried into a stall and locked the door behind her.

Narcissa didn't glance over, still admiring her reflection. She brought a hand up to sooth back her hair, not that it needed soothing, and purred her reply. "I know."

Narcissa laughed again, liquid silver, and turned around to stare at Lily's closed stall. "Evans."

Lily looked up, but didn't move. She simply sat there, just wanting to be invisible, but knowing it would be impossible. How could she have ever let anything—anyone—take this much control over her? "Hmm?"

Narcissa smirked, leaning back against the sink, arms still folded. "Come here."

Lily shivered and obediently stood up, opened the stall door and walked over to the sink beside Narcissa. "Yes...?"

She arched an eyebrow and held out a hand, repeating her command coolly. "Come here."

She took the last few steps, eyeing Narcissa's hand before placing her own in it.

Narcissa pulled Lily roughly in against her, twining the other arm carelessly low around the other girl's waist. She let go of Lily's hand and pulled out her wand, flicking it at the door. It locked.

Lily whimpered and her eyes lowered as she looked to the sinks beside them. Fear and exhilaration swept through her.

Narcissa basked in the revelation that she was changing. Confident, dark and best of all, deliciously dominant. She grinned, slipping her wand back in her pocket and whipping Lily around, easily lifting her and setting her delicately on the edge of the sink. It gave her about an inch over Narcissa, who took advantage of this by sweeping in to press her lips beneath Lily's chin, tilting her head up.

Lily whimpered and shivered, tilting her head back to raise her chin.

Narcissa nipped at her a bit, hands resting lightly against Lily's thighs. "Another dreadful potion today, Evans."

The Gryffindor emits another whimper, with a small smile at the familiarity of that statement. "I know, I know... I should've paid more attention to what those two numbskulls were doing... Ah..."

She smiled, running her fingertips up and down the length of Lily's thighs, tilting her head to nibble at her collarbone. "You'll lose top rank if you're not careful."

Lily shrugs. "What good is the-" She gasps slightly, "top...rank doing me, anyway?"

Narcissa frowned, pulling back. "Why...what else have you got going for you?"

Lily moaned softly as Narcissa moved away. "Nothing... but nothing about me is that important anyway, is it?"

Narcissa set her elbows on Lily's thighs, resting her chin on her fists and looking up. "Don't you worry about your future?"

Lily looked down at her. "I don't honestly know...nobody seems to care about me besides my parents anyway...even my sister hates me..."

Narcissa stiffened a bit, suddenly cold. "I didn't know you had a sister."

Lily smirks icily, her eyes dancing with flames of hatred. "Hardly anyone knows..." The next part was barely whispered. "She's as muggle as my parents..."

Narcissa didn't want to think about sisters. She didn't want to think at all anymore, and set her cheek against Lily's chest for a moment of silent reflection.

Lily's arms slipped around Narcissa and she bowed her head, accepting the silence.

Narcissa cleared her thoughts, just standing there looking pretty for a second, comforted by the things she knew best. After a while she lifted her head, leaning in against Lily until her back was properly arched for the occasion, lifting to nip gently at Lily's lower lip.

Lily shivered and her arms stiffened slightly around Narcissa as she whimpered her submission.

Narcissa smiled a bit, touching her nose curiously to Lily's and resting her hands on either side of the curve to Lily's waist.

Lily shivered and her eyes closed slowly. She licked her upper lip and tried to steady her breathing.

Narcissa paused a moment, stepping away and turning towards the door. "Class."

Lily shivered again and whimpered slightly, slipping off of the sink. "Yes...class..."

Narcissa gave herself a quick looking over in one of the mirror, touching her hair up here and there, smoothing her robes.

Lily smiled softly. "I decided to use the conditioner you made for me...but it hasn't been long enough for it to really show, I think..."

Narcissa glanced back, reaching out to touch Lily's hair. She gave a nod of approval. "I assume you're not washing it correctly, however, the result is not thoroughly lost."

Lily nods. "I didn't know there was a correct way to wash your hair..."

"Hm." She arched an eyebrow, voice dry, "Quel suprise."(AN: 3) With a quiet laugh she unlocked the door, ran a hand down the flat of her stomach be sure she was properly smoothed, and stepped out.

Lily stood there for another minute or two, trying to compose herself before she went to her next class, Defense Against the Dark Arts.

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AN: 

1)"What a surprise...it's to be expected of their kind."  
"Yes (French Pet name), it's true."

2) "A little."

3) "What a surprise."

That's it! Please review! Thanks! Criticism is appreciated! And if anybody wants to beta it...message me or respond as such. Thanks again!


	5. Of Colors and Lessons

Hey, look. I'm back. Guess I lied when I said I was going to finish it before the end of the school year. It got chaotic right after that, and I'm sorry for the wait. Over a year and only five chapters out? I'm ashamed of myself. I'll try to update more, but here it is for now!

_Dark King of the North:_ Thank you, and here's an update.

_AlphaWolf69:_ Yeah, thanks about the French. My friend and I speak different languages, she does French and I do Spanish. Spanish doesn't quite work for Lily, I don't think, but her French does for Narcissa. And no. No 'L' word yet...much too soon.I present to you, though, the next chapter.

_DeMoKa:_ New pairing? Yay! That's cool. I'm glad you're actually interested, here's the next part.

_cloudyday2173:_ Thank you. I'm glad you think it's cute. Enjoy this chapter.

_surfie-aussie-chick:_ I'm glad that you started reading this. Thank you for all four reviews. The request in the author's note at the bottom for a specific confusing part, that's for you. I was hoping to clarify whatever confused you in chapter three. Your string of reviews really brightened my day and kicked me into putting out this chapter. I hope you enjoy it!

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Narcissa got it good when she finally met Bellatrix in the Slytherin dorms that evening, and she took it with the grace and submission she'd been taught to. Bellatrix kept awake that night watching her sister with a suspicious glare. Narcissa slept soundly.

Lily slept well enough, and the next morning she was at breakfast again with her normal friends, but this time James sat away from her.

The Marauders didn't seem to understand what was going on with their leader and his 'girlfriend'-he had claimed her inaccurately for years-but it made the whole group awkward as the conversation was strained, Sirius just sat there making snide remarks about the Slytherins—if only to keep the group from being completely silent.

Lily crossed her legs and drank her orange juice hardly paying any attention unless the words "Black", "Narcissa", or "Malfoy" slipped from Sirius's mouth—which was a rather frequent occurrence as he poked fun at the Slytherins.

Narcissa was composed and pretty at breakfast, Bellatrix sulking a bit at her side. She sat with Malfoy and laughed politely at his jokes, mostly they were at Lily's expense.

Narcissa tapped her fingers idly, nibbling on a bit of toast and jam before declaring herself satiated. Bellatrix surprised them all with a sudden suggestion. "Je pense qu'il est temps pour un polisson. Narcissa, vous si le suprise nous. Rendez-le bon, belle." (AN: 1)

Bellatrix set her cold gaze on Lily, smirking a bit. "I know just the one. What do you say, Malfoy?" He grinned, twining an arm around Narcissa's waist and pulling her closer. "Ma petite will give quite the show, I've no doubts." Narcissa smiled, nails raking against the wood under the table. "Excellent idea."

Bellatrix stole Malfoy's favorite position as they all stood to go to class, twining an arm around her sister's waist and purring into her ear. "Don't let us down, Cissa."

Class was about to start and Lily stood up before her friends, slipping toward the door and heading for their charms class.

Lily somehow kept just far enough ahead of the Marauders. She didn't want anything to do with them, she hadn't come to a conclusion about what was happening with her...and she just needed to be away again.

Narcissa started to trail off, but Bellatrix was suddenly holding her tight, fingers digging into her a bit painfully. She smiled and shrugged a shoulder, allowing herself to be lead. After their break, she got to potions class early, murmuring a spell to unlock the door and slipping in the empty class. She bit her lower lip and shut the door behind her, stepping lightly to Lily's cauldron and kneeling to switch out a few of her ingredients. She shut the door behind her on the way out, relocking it, and went to stand with a smug Bellatrix.

Lily walked up to the class just then, her entourage all strangely silent. Even Sirius had finally caught that something serious was up with James and 'his girl'. Lily noticed Narcissa and forced herself to look away. _Not like Narcissa will push in front of everyone_. She told herself, but the back of her mind spoke when she least wanted it to. _Oh, but she will push when nobody's around...which you would have thought impossible not even a week ago_... When the teacher unlocked the door, she hurried to her cauldron.

Narcissa examined her nails and smirked at something Bellatrix whispered in her ear. The two of them, joined by Malfoy, slid to their seats at the last possible moment.

Lily waited for the instructions as she worked with James and Sirius again. This time, though, they were all silent aside from when Lily gave orders to complete the potion they were assigned.

Bellatrix glanced slyly over at Malfoy, elbows propped up on the table in front of her as Narcissa went calmly about completing their potion. She didn't say a word, though she obediently glanced to Malfoy and smiled when Bellatrix's foot jabbed her leg under the table.

About ten minutes before the end of class, the potion was yellow and silver bubbles rose to the top every ten or fifteen seconds, like the directions said and finally one of the two males spoke...it was Sirius. "Thanks, Lily. We'd have botched it up again without your help." Lily just nodded, trying to keep her eyes from Narcissa, where they seemed to find themselves every minute or two...sometimes she'd keep herself from looking for three. The girl was an enigma to her, and she just wanted to sort out what was happening.

Narcissa bit her lower lip and walked quietly to Malfoy, letting him slide and arm around her hips as she bent to test his potion. Bellatrix glanced to her, catching her gaze, a slow fury threatening to break in her eyes. Narcissa glanced down at her hand, holding up three fingers. Bellatrix followed her gaze. A second went by, and Narcissa curled up a finger, another second and another finger. Bellatrix grinned as the last finger went down. Right on cue, Lily's cauldron promptly exploded, sending anyone close enough to be working on it flying back and leaving a handful of people dyed a different color. James was pink, Sirius was purple, Remus was bright yellow, and Lily was a horrid shade of green. Bellatrix and Malfoy both burst out laughing.

Bellatrix was practically howling with laughter, Malfoy a little more reserved but no less entertained. Narcissa managed to force a smirk. The dye wouldn't fade for two weeks and three days. It was quite brilliant, actually...rearranging molecules and what not. Dangerous. Narcissa had invented it herself, she doubted anyone unfamiliar with the way it worked would be able to find a reversal in less than three weeks. She sighed.

Narcissa pretended to adore Malfoy's purred praises, and smiled almost shyly when even Bellatrix declared it a job well done. Neither of them even seemed too bothered when she slipped off to the prefect's bathroom to hit the wall until her knuckles bled.

Lily shuddered and screamed. James, Sirius and Lupin all snarled—the last two may have growled, it was difficult to be certain. Sarah and Pettigrew had hidden behind him and that's why they weren't colored at all.

The professor shook his head." I guess that means sixty-five points from Gryffindor—twenty each for those of you working on it, and another five for Remus having to go to the infirmary to get fixed as well. Go. Go." He shooed them off. "Oh, and a zero on today's project."

The group trudged up to the infirmary and the nurse went to work. She shook her head. "I can't do anything but dim the color... I'm sorry to say you'll have to go to classes tinted..."

Lily sighed and left the infirmary a light green. She wished she could do something about it. She knew Narcissa had done it! She had to! A heavier sigh escapes her as she ditches the boys, hearing a faint, but semi-familiar sound from the bathroom.

Narcissa stared at her hands and cursed; Bella would notice if she left it. She took out her wand and carefully cooed the healing spells necessary, rubbing her knuckles once done and turning to lean against the wall, eyes closed. A hand idly slipped to her pocket, and she rolled a small silver bottle back and forth across her palm—the reversing potion.

Lily slipped into the room and this time it was she who checked they were alone. She locked the door, the first noise she made after entering the room, and then turned to Narcissa. "It was you, wasn't it?"

Narcissa arched an eyebrow, clutching the bottle for a moment, and then letting it go. Bella would know. She slid her hand from her pocket and folded her arms. "You don't think Bellatrix could have come up with something so complicated, do you?"

Lily shook her head. "Nor do I think Malfoy could have...that's why I had to check that it was you..." She looked away. "Why me? Why my cauldron?"

Narcissa sneered. "Because you need to be taught a lesson." Bellatrix's words. Mudbloods had no right to be good at magic; in fact Bellatrix was convinced that somehow Lily must have been cheating.

Lily scoffed softly. "Oh? I need to be taught a lesson? For what? About what?"

"For pretending to be better than what you are. You continue to step off your place." She knew this lecture by heart; Bellatrix hated Lily…

Lily shook her head. "'Pretending to be better than what I am'? Please tell me how I do that and how I 'step off my place'."

"You're a-...you're impure. You're too full of yourself, too good in class, too studious. Your place is not in this world, and if you must be here, then you should be groveling at the feet of your superiors, those who are of pure decent. Untainted." She nodded, almost bored with the explanation.

Lily shook her head. "I can't help that I wasn't born into a pureblood family... If you want to really learn about someone's character, you should see how they treat those they deem below them...not their equals or superiors..."

"Of course you would think that way. You don't know better. Power is inherited, you can't create it from nothing. When you do, the power is tainted. When you mix it with the pure, the whole thing is ruined, and magic will eventually fail if the line is too muddied. You're just...not good enough." Now she really was bored. This was all her father ever talked about.

Lily shook her head. "Then I'm just good for tainting the perfection of the world, I take it?"

"Yes that's it exactly." She brushed her hair back and sighed.

Lily couldn't help that her head seemed to be set to shake permanently as she stared straight ahead, neither could she help the bitterness that seeped into her voice. "Then you shouldn't even bother spending time talking to me... I might just dirty the mare..."

Narcissa closed her eyes, arms tightening over her chest. "Excellent point."

Lily slipped over to the bench and stared once more at the painting as she lapsed into silence.

Narcissa sat quietly beside her, staring at the ground. "You can't change what you are." Narcissa wasn't referring entirely to Lily in her comment, focused on some distant point.

"Then why should I be punished for it...?"

"I don't know everything, Evans..."

Lily turned to face her. "Do you feel trapped? Punished for being who you are?" Lily had caught the way Narcissa's tone had switched.

"That's none of your concern." She snapped, eyes suddenly cold as she whipped her gaze to Lily.

Lily shivered. "I was just wondering..." She dropped her gaze again to the floor.

Narcissa sneered, looking away. "Stand up, Evans."

Lily nods and stands silently.

Narcissa leaned against the wall, arching her back a bit and sighing. She pointed to the spot directly in front of her in silent command.

Lily maintains the silence and moves to stand before Narcissa, right where the hand had indicated.

She sat up straight and scooted forward to the edge of the bench. "Turn around."

A soft nod is given and she turns around, her eyes closing.

Narcissa spread her knees and pulled Lily gently down to sit on the ground between them. She brushed Lily's hair over one shoulder and slid her hand under the collar of Lily's robe, trailing her collarbone before kneading her back. She laughed a little to think of their previous conversations during such moments. "Dreadful potion today, Evans..."

Lily smiled softly. "Ah, now I think the potion was fine...it had something to do with something else, I'm pretty sure..." She murmured this as she bowed her head, facing as low as she could.

Narcissa continued to knead, quite skilled with her hands, and eased any tension she could find in Lily's back and shoulders. She smiled a bit. "Possibly. Still, you should have noticed."

Lily nodded. "I probably should have...but I probably wouldn't have known what it was..."

"Probably not." She agreed, brushing her thumb against the back of Lily's neck.

Lily shivered softly and moved her hands to rest in her lap.

Narcissa smiled, looping her arms around Lily's shoulders and letting them drape carelessly across her chest. "Green really isn't your color."

Lily shivered again. "Don't I know it..."

"At least it dyed you're hair too?" She offered, smirking a bit. "If not you'd have looked like a Christmas elf...hm...I shall have to remember that for next time."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "For next time? You want to make me an elf?"

"Red hair and green skin. Hn..." She considered it, tracing back over the steps. "I'd have to alter what it picks up and specialize it to you specifically..."

Lily shook her head slightly. "And it doesn't matter whether or not I want to be an elf?"

She scoffed. "Oh it'll fade...in 17 days..."

Lily shuddered. "I really have to wait two-and-a-half weeks?"

Narcissa bit her lower lip, voice soft. "I designed it myself...it's got at least two dozen layers. It took me a whole year to get it right, and I'd already had the idea of just how it would work in my mind. Bella would know if I...yes. Two and a half weeks."

Lily gave another shudder. "I understand..." She smirks. "Unless I can beat you at potions...unless I make the antidote..." She bites her lip. "Doubtful...but I can try!"

Narcissa smiled, bending low to set her cheek on the top of Lily's head. "Yes."

Lily smiled and her eyes sparkled. She had just found herself a challenge.

Narcissa's smile remained, calm and soft and almost fond. She sighed, closing her eyes. "What time is it...?"

Lily shook her head. "I have no idea..."

"Probably time for class..." She lifted her head and leaned back.

Lily sighed and nodded sadly. "Meaning I get my first taste of facing the world as a green girl..."

Narcissa ran her fingers delicately through Lily's hair, still not quite satisfied with the texture. She commented absently. "Sometimes I wish I were green."

Lily giggled quietly. "Now why would you wish that?"

Narcissa stood, stepping over Lily without answer and walking quietly to the door.

Lily sighed and shook her head, standing much more gracefully than might be expected.

Narcissa paused, glancing over her shoulder. "Bellatrix is pleased, and she hasn't slept much the past few nights...I doubt she'll pay much attention to me..."

Lily nodded softly. "I'm sure..." She checked that she still had everything she would need later.

Narcissa gritted her teeth. Gryffindors. "Why don't you swing by the potions class after dinner?"

Lily raised an eyebrow. "I was planning on at least getting my cauldron to start work on the antidote..."

Narcissa resisted the urge to sneer, and smiled instead. "Maybe I can help you along."

Lily smiled softly. "I hope you can..."

Narcissa shook her head, a little exasperated, and slid out.

Lily laughed gently and waited a moment before she left as well.

* * *

AN:

1) I think it's time for a prank. Narcissa, you should surprise us. Make it good.

Well, that's the chapter! I do hope you've enjoyed it. I'm still looking for a beta, if any one is interested. Also, if there's anything confusing, please let me know what it is. Not just in general, but a specific area that confuses someone? Thanks! And please review!


	6. APOLOGY!

Author's Note:

I apologize for the LONG delay. I got caught up in the mad rush to finish Senior year, then I was off to Europe for the summer, then I had to get ready to move in at my University. I was planning on updating this when I went home for Christmas break, but the computer with the file for this story on it was broken. TT I cannot apologize enough. Please forgive me.

RisuMusume.


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